World Briefing | Europe: Turkey: Landmark Is Site Of Protest Against Pope

By SEBNEM ARSU

Published: November 23, 2006

An ultra-nationalist group of almost 100 people occupied a famous Orthodox monument, the Hagia Sophia Church in Istanbul, to protest next week's visit by Pope Benedict XVI. The riot police used pepper gas to force the group outside the sixth-century masterpiece, which is now a museum, and detained 39 people. There has been a widespread criticism in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim but secular country, since the Roman Catholic leader in a September speech quoted a medieval commentator who called aspects of Islam ''evil and inhuman.'' The pope has expressed his regrets and said his words were misinterpreted. SEBNEM ARSU